Only In 2017 Are Rich NFL Players The Victims

Matt Candler | Contributor

Seattle Seahawks running back Eddie Lacy is now a victim, and apparently we should all feel sorry for him.

The winner of three national championships with the Alabama Crimson Tide and the 2013 NFL rookie of the year with the Green Bay Packers recently sat down with ESPN for an emotional interview, describing how difficult it is for him to deal with the fat-shaming he has to endure on social media.

“I could pull up my Twitter right now and there would be a fat comment in there somewhere,” he says. “Like I could tweet, ‘Today is a beautiful day!’ and someone would be like, ‘Oh yeah? You fat.’ I sit there and wonder: ‘What do you get out of that?'”

When asked how he felt about being a healthy scratch in last week’s game due to his weight, he told ESPN, “You don’t like what happened or whatever, but at the end of the day, you can just control what you can control, continue to go out and practice and see how it goes. I’ve just got to continue to be me, go out and practice the same way I’ve been practicing and see what happens week by week.”

The 27-year-old threw Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll under the bus when he said “at the end of the day, you can just control what you can control”. Basically, putting the blame on the coaching decision to not play him, instead of taking accountability for his lack of discipline to improve his physical condition.

Does he not have “control” of himself to get in good enough shape to play in the NFL?

Lacy signed a one-year $5.5 million contract ($3 million guaranteed) with Seattle this offseason. The Seahawks even added a contractual incentive: If he’s under a certain benchmark weight at various points throughout the season, he instantly gets a bonus check of $55,000. He’s two for two in bonus check weigh-ins so far, with five more to go.

Let me get this straight. Eddie Lacy makes more money for stepping on a scale than the average American makes in a single year, and he’s a victim? Give me a break. It’s in the very best interest of NFL franchises to provide top-notch nutritionists and trainers for its players. Eddie Lacy has world-class resources at his disposal to get in playing shape if he really wanted to.

Maybe if he could spend less time worrying about what Twitter thinks, and more time improve himself, he could revive his career.